The month of August ushers in an important Swedish tradition, the crayfish celebration. A long time ago - I was told at a recent crayfish premier party - only the wealthy landowning Swedes who owned properties that included lakes had access to this delicacy. The harvest took place in August, the cooking is very Swedish, of which the most important ingredient is the dill crown. That's where the unique taste and smell comes from.
Then came some pest that corrupted the fresh water habitat of the crayfish, and the Swedish tradition was threatened with extinction. Luckily, some enterprising Swedes found other sources abroad in countries like Turkey, the USA, Spain and China. Crayfish prepared the Swedish way was imported in big quantities from these countries and the Swedish tradition found a new lease of life.
In recent years, crayfish came back to its fresh water habitat and avid Swedes began fishing the homegrown delicacy again. The Signalkräftor sell between SEK450 to 600 per kilo. One true-hearted crayfish enthusiast I know is Lars Hedfors, who without fail treats his friends to his annual harvest of crayfish. Lars is married to a Filipina, Mary and both have been delightful hosts to our yearly crayfish celebration. For Lars, a crayfish party consists of a first course - " to line up the stomach" for the heavy vodka and snaps drinks, the crayfish in big platters, the side dishes of toast bread, or hard bread, buttered and lined with ripe brännvin. Unlike in Louisiana where a pile of crayfish (called crawfish) can be served right on the table without plates, the Swedish way is more colourful because of accesories like napkins, lanterns, placemats and hats all of which have decorative crayfish motiff. The occasion becomes a celebration.
To start the race for as many crayfish one can consume, the first tail requires a short speech, a vodka toast "Skål!" and in it goes, marinated in alcohol, straight into the digestive system. The party is ever punctuated by "Skål!", a song and another tail. True crayfish eating requires genuine slurping and sucking of the crayfish head, for its butter and eggs. That's truly the best part of the animal. And the sucking has to be hard as through taking the very last breath out of one's beloved.
Lars Hedfors believes that crayfish eating is almost a religious devotion, in the way one savours every bit of the animal. And when his guests show this kind of devotion, as did my husband Bo, he says he feels rewarded for all his hardwork from catching to cooking. " It makes everything all worth it", he says.
Then came some pest that corrupted the fresh water habitat of the crayfish, and the Swedish tradition was threatened with extinction. Luckily, some enterprising Swedes found other sources abroad in countries like Turkey, the USA, Spain and China. Crayfish prepared the Swedish way was imported in big quantities from these countries and the Swedish tradition found a new lease of life.
In recent years, crayfish came back to its fresh water habitat and avid Swedes began fishing the homegrown delicacy again. The Signalkräftor sell between SEK450 to 600 per kilo. One true-hearted crayfish enthusiast I know is Lars Hedfors, who without fail treats his friends to his annual harvest of crayfish. Lars is married to a Filipina, Mary and both have been delightful hosts to our yearly crayfish celebration. For Lars, a crayfish party consists of a first course - " to line up the stomach" for the heavy vodka and snaps drinks, the crayfish in big platters, the side dishes of toast bread, or hard bread, buttered and lined with ripe brännvin. Unlike in Louisiana where a pile of crayfish (called crawfish) can be served right on the table without plates, the Swedish way is more colourful because of accesories like napkins, lanterns, placemats and hats all of which have decorative crayfish motiff. The occasion becomes a celebration.
To start the race for as many crayfish one can consume, the first tail requires a short speech, a vodka toast "Skål!" and in it goes, marinated in alcohol, straight into the digestive system. The party is ever punctuated by "Skål!", a song and another tail. True crayfish eating requires genuine slurping and sucking of the crayfish head, for its butter and eggs. That's truly the best part of the animal. And the sucking has to be hard as through taking the very last breath out of one's beloved.
Lars Hedfors believes that crayfish eating is almost a religious devotion, in the way one savours every bit of the animal. And when his guests show this kind of devotion, as did my husband Bo, he says he feels rewarded for all his hardwork from catching to cooking. " It makes everything all worth it", he says.
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